When booking a vehicle rental, understanding the financial obligations upfront ensures a smooth experience.
This article provides a clear breakdown of Ride’s payment structures and reservation deposit policies, outlining exactly what to expect when securing a rental through our professional dealership marketplace.
What are Ride's Payment Terms?
Your available payment terms depend on how far in advance you book your rental. During checkout, you can select from the following payment options based on your reservation timeline:
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Bookings 30 Days or Less Away
- Full Payment Required: The reservation total is charged in full at the time of booking.
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Bookings More Than 30 Days Away
You have the flexibility to choose between two payment structures:
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Option A: Pay the Reservation Total in Full
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You pay 100% of the trip cost and associated fees upon booking.
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Option B: Split the Payment (Reservation Deposit)
- Due at Booking (50% Deposit): You pay 50% of the trip cost, 50% of the Auto Direct car rental insurance, 50% of all optional extras (such as Roadside Assistance and Host add-ons), 100% of the Ride service fee, and all associated taxes.
- Due 30 Days Before Departure: The remaining 50% of the trip cost, Auto Direct car rental insurance, optional extras, and associated taxes are automatically charged to your connected payment method.
Fig 1. A Guest's payment options, displayed on their checkout page
What happens if I choose to pay only the reservation deposit?
By choosing the reservation deposit option, you can secure your booking in advance with a flexible payment schedule. The total cost is divided across specific key dates leading up to your rental start date:
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Initial Payment (Due at the Time of Booking)
To confirm your reservation, you will pay a 50% deposit on core components along with certain fixed platform fees.
- 50% of the trip cost.
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50% of the Auto Direct car rental insurance cost.
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50% of all selected optional extras (such as Roadside Assistance and Host add-ons).
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100% of the Ride service fee.
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All associated initial taxes.
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Final Balance (Due 30 Days Before Departure)
The remaining balance is automatically charged to your payment method exactly 30 days before your trip begins. This installment includes:
- The remaining 50% of the rental and insurance costs.
- All associated remaining taxes.
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Security Deposit Hold (Processed 2 Days Before Departure)
The security deposit is managed as a separate transaction from your rental payments:
- Authorization Hold: An authorization hold is placed on your payment method 2 days prior to your trip’s start date.
- Release: This hold is temporary and will be released after 7 days, following the successful return of the vehicle.
Important Payment Note: If paying with PayPal, the option to split your payments into 2, paying only a deposit upon booking, is unavailable. The full reservation amount must be paid upfront at the time of booking, regardless of how far in advance the trip is scheduled
What if I have extenuating circumstances and need to cancel?
If there is a complaint from either party or if either party feels there are unique or extenuating circumstances in their booking, Ride must be notified within 24 hours of the issue/complaint.
U.S. military service members are eligible for a full refund if their cancellation is due to them, or a family member, entering active military duty.
Ride reserves the right to have sole and absolute discretion in all cancellation amounts and disputes.